Friday, January 26

My main accomplishment today was to set up a bank account, after gathering three references and signing my inheritance away. Now I have to get our program money down here and start setting up the hotel reservations for the 'grand tour.'

Tina and Lisane came over for a visit. They found a very nice and reasonable apartment and seem excited and content to be here and explore. Peggy sent me a note that she has an apartment now as well. Didn't hear from Ewan today but everyone else that I know of who is here has settled on digs.

Going back to the same restaurant every night, making regular choices, and leaving tips, means I got special treatment at Casa del Pan this evening: guacamole (vegetarian) with my bread! Ahh, the satisfaction.

Before supper I explored the market, which is cavernous. Bought some ocote spikes so I'm hoping for a fire tonight to chase away the chill.

I'm reading a wonderful book on the politial situation here. It's called Mayan Visions, written by June Nash, an octegenarian anthropologist who has a house in town. I'm waiting for a reply as I asked to come over and meet her. She also earlier (last fall) expressed a willingness to speak to the group. That would be a treat.

Everybody in Lasom please keep Sunday, February 4 free as I have an excursion planned (non academic).

Finally, Lasomers, I really appreciate your stopping in when you arrive. Then I get a chance to get to know you in ones and twos instead over overwhelming dozens.

Thursday, January 25

Not much action to report on today. I was involved in some administrative things, finding the information needed for a bank account and trying to find more apartments for students to rent.

Peggy came by and we met later for supper at Casa del Pan. Jaime found us there and we had a great chat. When I got back, there was an email saying that Lisane and Tina are also here. That makes six along with Ellen and Ewan who arrived earlier.

I never did have the conversation with Alonso and Miguel about Apocalypto. Our timings seem to be way off.

Wednesday, January 24

The highlight of the day was a trip with Ewan in a combi van to San Andrés Larrainzar, also known as San Andrés Sakamch'en de los Pobres. We climbed higher than San Cristóbal through spectacular landscapes with fields of dried maize stalks adjoining homesteads along the road. At San Andrés we looked around the main plaza, at the church and on the opposite side the building where the San Andrés peace accords were worked out and signed in February, 1996.

Then we asked about the weaver collective and were directed down a slope and up another hill. We hadn't taken the main highway, so we came up against an army base enclosed in a razor wire fence, heavily defended, but with many of the soldiers playing basketball or lifting weights. A young gentlemen led us from there to the turnoff for the collective and we were shortly there. There were no other tourists around, and actually we saw none the whole time in San Andrés.

The weavings are similar to those available in the same collective outlet (Sna Jolobil) in San Cristobal, but divided into several rooms each with their own caretaker. They were very good to us, showing us through the rooms more than once, so I did buy something. The weavings are gorgeous and of course make great presents.

We then walked back into town and through the market, jumping on the combi for another spectacular ride back down into San Cristóbal.

In the afternoon I went to the travel agent who is arranging our great fieldtrip and also got prices and discussed itineraries for day trips. Then I stopped back in at Instituto Jovel and conveyed Rita and Max's preference for seating in the classroom.

Back at the apartment, I sought out the landlord, Miguel, to tell him that the lock was sticky. I also met his brother Alonso, who it turns out had come in for a memorial for their mother, dead three years ago today. They took me into the altar room they keep for her which was supplied with many, many flower arrangements. They had some posh, of course.

It turns out that their father was Maya, native of Tenejapa, and that today was also the saints day festival in Tenejapa, which they attended. The brother, Alonso, is also involved with archaeologists who work at Palenque and wants to talk with me about Maya archaeology. We also discussed Apocalypto, which he had just seen, and he offered to share with me his viewpoint concerning the film. They will be coming down after supper. I'll probably have to report on that conversation in tomorrow's blog. We'll see.

Tuesday, January 23

I'm continuing to learn more about the city. The landlord has been very helpful. He directed me to a nearby laundry (10 pesos per kilo) and to the big mall on the edge of town (I needed more pillows).

I visited the Instituto Jovel and had a long talk with the acting director, Reginaldo. The classroom is very beautiful and airy, on the second story and with great views, but smallish.

I'm also making inquiries concerning our day trips and will soon start on the mega-fieldtrip. Over the next few days I will also try to take an advance look at Maya communities around here, starting with the easy-to-reach Zinacantan and Chamula. I would also like to see about day trips to San Andres and its weaving cooperative, and to Amatenango, regionally famous for pottery. Reginaldo has agreed to make inquiries about how we might see weavers and potters at work and converse with them.

Then it was back to my vegetarian restaurant and "home" for the evening.

A New Start

Now that I have arrived in Chiapas this blog is going to turn into more of a diary of day-to-day LASOM activities including some of the preparations in which I am involved before other participants arrive.

First, my landlord arranged for a car and driver to pick me up at the airport in Tuxtla. The fee was 450 pesos, which is 25% less than the taxi fee. And it's great to arrive someplace and see a sign with your name on it, so you know who to talk to and that everything is taken care of. The driver's name is Ipólito and he is very nice though not talkative. If anyone else wants to have a similar pickup, let me know and I'll find out if Ipólito is free. I think that he could easily take three at once.

Second, I headed for the vegetarian restaurant, Casa de Pan, and had a nice meal with free wireless internet to catch up on email. I also noticed their bulletin board and there are indeed, as Bill mentioned, several adds for furnished rooms to rent. Just walking up the street I saw other signs advertising rentals.

On the way back from supper, I ran into Ewan. Rather, he recognized me and called out. We found a supermarket (really a grocery) on the same street, Real de Guadalupe, and picked up some rum, coke and snacks, came back to my apartment and had a great talk.

And that's it for day 1. The offer still stands that when you come to SCLC, if you don't already have an address to go to, you can stop here first, drop luggage, then look for a place. The address here is #19, Calle 28 de Agosto, which is quite central. When I get a cell phone, I will let you know the number.

Update on Art History Courses

I have only been able to update the materials for ARTH 372.
ARTH373 is not finished.
For 372, there are two texts in the library to bring.
Also, if you do not want to work on computer while you are in CHiapas, you may want to print out materials before you go.
The materials to print out for each topic page are under two categories.
a. Resources
b. Class Presernations: LASOM
Only print out the files that are in pdf format as only these will pertain to this course.
I will also bring some cds with all of these pdfs on them.

I will continue to work on 373 as fast as possible.

Arrival and Orientation

Greetings All. It is Thursday January 11 and I will be leaving in less than a week. After a short stay in Texas I will be arriving in San Cristobal on the night of January 22. The apartment reserved for Rita and myself is at #19, Calle 18 de Agosto, which is about two blocks from the Cathedral (northeast, I think). I don't yet have a phone number.

WHen you arrive, if you don't already have a place to stay and need to drop off luggage while you arrange things, feel free to use my apartment. I would appreciate it if everyone would check in when you arrive.

Orientation will be on February 1, 10 am at my apartment. I hope to have much information gained from my week there. We can then talk over procedures for visas, visit the classroom, look into volunteer possibilities, talk about where to shop for food and necesities, discuss course expectations etc.

The dates we have so far for the modules are:
Orientation, Feb 1.
Module 1: Feb 5-23
Module 2: Feb 25-March 13
Fieldtrip: March 14-26
Module 3: March 28- April 12
Module 4: April 13-April 30

But please remember that sometimes adjustments have to be made. Being flexible in a new place opens you to all kinds of unexpected rewards.